GQ Fitness: Five Skiing Tips From An Olympic Gold Medalist

Now that the Polar Vortex has cleared, you can hit the slopes without risking frostbite. Whether you’re headed to a little place called Aspen or just to the local hill littered with high-schoolers getting stoned in the woods, you might need to brush up on your technique before you hit the powder. We called up American Olympian Ted Ligety, who won a gold medal at the 2006 Torino games and three gold medals at last year’s World Championships, to chat about a few simple ways you can better enjoy shredding the gnar this winter.

1. Buckle Up

Ligety says a lot of skiers don’t buckle their boots tight enough. You don’t want your foot to be able to move around in the boot, but not so tight that they hurt. “When they’re tight like they should be, you have way more control,” he says.

2. Stay In A Forward Athletic Stance

“Your shin should be flexing through the front of your boot,” Ligety says. “That’s the only way to really arc a ski.” By pushing your shin slightly forward it keeps your weight in the middle of the ski, which gives you even pressure and distribution from tip to tail.

3. But Keep Your Upper Body Relad

That forward athletic stance doesn’t mean you’re rigid as hell with your arms taut. “You don’t want to be super stiff,” Ligety says. “You want your hands a little bit in front of you, like if someone were to kick a soccer ball at you and you were trying to catch it. If you’re super tight with your body, it resists forces to stay balanced. So if you’re a little more relad you can take bumps and anything that comes at you a little bit easier.”

4. And Make Sure Your Hips Are Up

“Some people get too squatty, like they’re sitting on a toilet,” Ligety says. “So keep your hips forward and that will keep you in better control.”

5. Stick With Your Bros

** **The best way to see a mountain is with someone who knows it. Ligety says “going out with some friends is a good way to see the area better.” It’s also a safety measure, and a good way to ensure you’ve got drinking buddies afterward at the lodge.